In recent sessions, there has been a constant increase in parliamentary questions about road accidents. A common thread running through them concerns numbers. Now, anecdotal evidence suggests that there has also been a remarkable increase in the number of car accidents involving underage drivers. Lives have been lost and property damaged in recent months by minors on wheels in Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Kanpur and Delhi. To solve a problem, we must first control it. Reporting for the recently launched RAHAT (Road Accident Victims Hospital and Assured Treatment) scheme for cashless treatment of road accident victims can be tailored to obtain data according to the age of the drivers concerned. At the same time, there should be academic studies on effective ways to curb risky behavior among teenagers. This is not a disease that can be treated simply by stricter road rules.
